Printer&#39;s composing-stick.



I m %0/7705 Bra 761" %WWW ' T. DRAPER. PBINTEB'S OOMPOSING STIOK. APPLIOA'TION PILBD SEPT. 11, 1907.

905,060. Patented Nov. 24,` 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DRAPER, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

i TO THE DRAPER. & HALL CO., MIDDLETOWN, OONNEOTIGUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNEGTICUT.

PRINTERS COMPOSING-STICK.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed September 11, 1907. Serial No. 392381.

To all whom 'it may concm:

Be it knownthat I, THOMAS DRAPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the'county of MiddleseX and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Prin-ters Composing- Sticks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to printers composing sticks; and it has for its object to provide improved means whereby the stick may be quickly and accurately adjusted to lines of various lengths, giving a column of a predetermined width; further objects being to simplify and improve the Construction and operation of this class of devices.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved Construction andnovel arrangement and combination of parts which will, be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim;

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the inventon may be resorted to when desired. a

In the drawing, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a composing stick constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3--3 in Fg.` 2. Fig. (i is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4: in Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The invention is applicable to various kinds or types of composingsticks; and in the drawing it has been shown appled to what is comnercially known' as the Yankee style of conposing stick, of which 1 designates the base plate, 2 the end wall, 3 the back wall and 4: the knee, which latter includes the beveled side fiange 5 which is clamped adjustably upon the back wall 3 by means of a clamp 6 having a set screw 7, the point of' which engages a recess 8 in the flange 5; it will be readily seen that by slightly loosening the set screw, the knee may be shifted or moved to any desired position where it may be securely retained by tightening the screw; the parts may be disassembled, if desired, by releasing the point of the screw from the recess 8.

The knee is provided with a recess 9 forned longitudinally in the upper surface thereof, [and in said recess is suitably secured one end of a spring 10, the free end of which overhangs the back wall 3 of the 'stick and is formed with a knob or handle 11; said spring consisting of a flat leaf, the upper side of which normally lies flush with the upper side of the knee. The upper edge of the back wall 3 of the stick is provided with V-shaped notches 12 which are suitably spaced to forma scale, the unit of which may be a pica em, or any other unit that may be desired; said scale being for convenience provided with graduation marks consisting of numerals, suitably spaced. The spring 10 is provided with a tooth 13 adapted for engagement with the notches 12.

'The operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto anneXed by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. When the set screw 7 is slightly loosened, the operator, by lifting the free end of the spring 10 to disengage the tooth 13 from the notched wall of the stick, may quickly adjust the knee to the desired point, where it will be held securely by releasing the spring to permit the tooth 13 to engage one of the notches 12; the knee may thus be instantly adjusted to the position desired without resorting to the methods of measurement ordinarily y employed.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new is 2- A composing stick having its wall notched at its upper edge and provided with a graduated scale, an adjustable knee having a recess in its upper surface, a spring Secured in the recess and lying flush with the outer surface of said knee, said spring having a downwardly extending tooth to lock in the notches of 'the galley wall, and means for holding said knee in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS DRAPER. Witnesses:

- HARRY H. HALL, i

FRANK I. HALL. 

